


Broken Shoes and Loose Ends

by cassiopeiasara



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Coming Out, F/F, Family, Fluff, Kya & Lin being the best aunts, Kyalin Week 2020, Strength
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-17
Updated: 2020-11-17
Packaged: 2021-03-09 19:55:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27601735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cassiopeiasara/pseuds/cassiopeiasara
Summary: Ikki shows up at Lin & Kya's with some personal news to share.
Relationships: Ikki & Kya II (Avatar), Lin Beifong/Kya II
Comments: 30
Kudos: 211





	Broken Shoes and Loose Ends

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: I hope you'll forgive that this is a day (or two technically) late for the Strength prompt. Title comes from the song Occasionally by Melissa Etheridge.

“Can I help you, Miss?”

Ikki took a deep breath and shook the rainwater from her pigtails and robes. At sixteen, she stood almost as tall as Aunt Kya and favored robes in Southern Water Tribe colors instead of the traditional Air Nation. Gone were the huge ball hair ties on either side of her head and instead, these days she opted for brown ties gifted by Gran Gran at her last visit.

She cleared her throat. She could do this. The giant lobby she stood in and the ornate building that housed it were a lot less intimidating than they had been just a couple years ago. She nodded toward the concierge. “My name is Ikki. I should be on Chief Beifong’s list.”

The man looked over her roster then nodded toward the elevator. “Would you like me to ring up to the--”

“No, thank you. It’s a… surprise.”  _ For all three of us, _ she thought. 

He nodded and Ikki took another deep breath, gripping the pastry box in her hand tighter. 

She had stopped by  _ Choi’s _ on the way in to grab some dasik and yakgwa to share with her aunts. Her best friend Ara had assured her this would go well and sent her off with treats on the house to help ease her anxiety.  _ You’re their favorite, or at least your Aunt Kya’s _ , she’d said.  _ It’ll be a piece of cake _ .

Maybe cake would have been a better idea. Ikki felt like her palms had never been quite so sweaty as the elevator dinged the third floor. She stepped out into the familiar hallway and took three more deep breaths before she raised a hand to knock on the door. 

She was saved the trouble when it opened and revealed a disgruntled Lin. 

“You’re not food.”

Ikki let out a nervous chuckle and lifted her box. “But I have some.”

A voice came from somewhere behind the door. “Lin, are you scaring the delivery boy again? Listen, I know it’s fun, but- Ikki?”

Ikki smiled at her aunt. “Hi.”

Aunt Kya opened the door wider and ushered her in. “What brings you by, sweetheart?”

Ikki swallowed against her increasing heartbeat. “I wanted to talk to you.”

Kya nodded toward the study. “Oh we can--”

“Both of you,” clarified Ikki. 

Aunt Kya looked back at Lin, who shrugged and gave what Ikki figured was an agreeable grunt. 

They moved toward the sofa. Aunt Kya sat down next to Ikki while Lin sat on the edge of a nearby armchair. 

“What’s up?” prompted Aunt Kya. 

Ikki counted to three and looked up. Aunt Kya’s eyes held all of her signature warmth and her hand was poised to rest on Ikki’s arm if necessary. The assurance that her aunt was so ready to provide comfort helped slightly steady Ikki’s nerves. 

“I wanted your advice about something.” Aunt Kya nodded and Lin looked encouraging. Ikki bit her lip and continued. “It’s about me. About who I am and I don’t know how to tell Dad.”

Aunt Kya considered her a moment. “Is it illegal? If so, I’d gladly cover it up but this one…” she trailed off as she pointed to Lin. 

Lin rolled her eyes and when Ikki’s gaze caught hers, it was gentler than Ikki had ever seen it. “You in trouble?”

Ikki shook her head. “No.”

Aunt Kya put an arm around Ikki’s shoulders. “What is it then?”

“You remember when I went with Opal to visit Kyoshi Island two months ago?”

Aunt Kya nodded slowly. “Yeah, you brought back that girl, what was her name?”

“Li Na,” supplied Ikki. Her heart raced as she pictured the mild mannered brunette in her wide rimmed glasses with a smile that always brightened Ikki’s day. 

Aunt Kya exchanged a look with Lin that made Ikki wonder if she already knew. It was why she’d come here in the first place. There was so much her Aunt Kya was an expert in and the less Ikki would have to explain, the easier it might be trying to figure out how to tell her parents. 

“Anyway, we, um, we’re pretty close and I think, well, I feel like she,” Ikki paused and traced a finger over the logo of her pastry box, “understands me. We have a lot in common and I think I’m in--”

“Love?” asked Aunt Kya. 

“Yeah,” breathed out Ikki. She shook her head. “But I feel like Dad is going to take it the wrong way and blow up like he did when you told him about you two.”

“Oh honey,” started Aunt Kya, “the two situations couldn’t be more different.”

Ikki furrowed her brow. “How? I mean he just stopped talking to you for two months and Mom kept saying how disappointed he was.”

“Kid,” offered Lin. “Your dad loves you. It’s not the fact that we’re women he took issue with.”

“It’s not?”

Aunt Kya shook her head. “Of course not. When I first told him about me, he was as supportive as your grandfather.”

“He knew?” asked Ikki. It had been the most confusing part for Ikki three years before. She thought they’d all known about Aunt Kya’s love of women but the way her dad had blown up made her think he had never been told. 

Aunt Kya nodded. “Yeah. I think his issue was more the fact that it was the first time I’d dated one of his exes.”

“That he knew about,” muttered Lin. Aunt Kya shot her a look but the slip made Ikki smile. 

Ikki looked between them. “So you don’t think he’ll be upset?”

Lin shook her head and Aunt Kya took Ikki’s hand in hers. “He’ll be fine, sweetie,” she started, “At least he will be eventually, he’s never exactly thrilled when you kids turn out to be capable of growing up but this shouldn’t be a problem.”

Ikki squeezed Aunt Kya’s hand. “Thank you.” 

Aunt Kya kissed the side of her temple. “We can come with you when you tell him if you want? Give you some extra support if you need it.”

It wasn’t until it was offered that Ikki realized how much she wanted it. “Are you sure?”

“Of course, kid.”

The doorbell rang and Lin got up to answer it. Aunt Kya gave Ikki a hug. 

“Stay for dinner?”

Ikki smiled. “Sure.” She sighed in relief. Two aunts down and two parents to go. 


End file.
